Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the impact of rising energy prices on the disposable income of pensioner households in the North West.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.

We recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. The Government is continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount, which provides £150 to eligible households including those where the bill payer is on Pension Credit.

The Government will also increase the level at which Winter Fuel Payments are means-tested in England and Wales from winter 2025-26 so that the vast majority of pensioners benefit from them. Individuals over the State Pension age in England and Wales with an income below or equal to £35,000 will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment. Winter Fuel Payments will be payable in England and Wales at £200 for households including someone between State Pension age and 79, and £300 for households including someone aged 80 or over.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what guidance is his Department provides to local planning authorities on balancing the need for digital infrastructure with environmental and heritage considerations.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Local planning authorities are responsible for determining applications for digital infrastructure, including telecommunications, in line with the National Planning Policy Framework which requires that planning decisions take account local environmental and heritage considerations.

In addition, the Department has published a Code of Practice for Wireless Network Development in England, and the Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice 2016 which provide practice on siting and design and encourages early engagement with communities and relevant local authorities to help balance the need for network deployment with environmental factors.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to reduce average diagnosis times for endometriosis; and what plans he has to meet the Women’s Health Strategy targets.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

It is unacceptable that women can wait up to 10 years for an endometriosis diagnosis and the Government is committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care for gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis.

Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission. We have now exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, having now delivered over three million more appointments.

In November 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence updated its guideline on the diagnosis and management of endometriosis to make firmer recommendations on referral and investigations, which will help women receive a diagnosis and effective treatment faster. This includes updated recommendations that for women with symptoms of endometriosis, initial pharmacological treatment should take place in primary care, and that this can take place in parallel with additional investigations and referral to secondary care if needed. The guideline is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng73

The Government’s focus is on turning the commitments in the Women's Health Strategy into tangible action, such as providing emergency hormonal contraception free of charge at pharmacies on the National Health Service from October 2025, taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan, and setting out how we will eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through the new cervical cancer plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2025 to Question 60122 on Armed Forces: Buildings, if he will list the locations of his Department's seven sites in Fylde constituency.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The location of the seven sites in Fylde constituency, managed by the Ministry of Defence, can be found below:

1. Blackpool Airport Air Traffic Control (ATC):
2. Poulton le Fylde ATC:
3. A building at Warton Aerodrome.
4. Warton Service Family Accommodation (SFA)
5. Warton ATC
6. Weeton Barracks.
7. Weeton Barracks SFA.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the uptake of at-home cervical screening tests.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

From January 2026, screening providers in the NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England will be able to offer self-sampling kits to women if they have not attended their appointment for six months or more following routine invitation.

Self-sampling will help detect high-risk human papillomavirus, prevent cancer, and save lives in those who currently do not access clinician led screening. However, for those attending clinician testing, a shift to self-sampling might result in a programme that is not yet proven to be of equal efficacy. Further studies to consider whether self-sampling could be used across the whole population are being developed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support HIV (a) prevention and (b) care services in (i) Fylde constituency and (ii) Lancashire.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to ending new transmissions of HIV in England by 2030 and is developing the new HIV Action Plan which we aim to publish this year. The plan will address ways to improve and support HIV prevention and HIV care services across the whole of England, including in Lancashire and the Flyde constituency.

Local authorities such as the Lancashire County Council are responsible for commissioning comprehensive open access to sexual health services, including HIV prevention. It is for individual local authorities to commission HIV prevention services that best suit their population. In 2025/26, the Department has increased funding through the Public Health Grant to £3.858 billion, providing local authorities with an average 3% real terms increase, the biggest real-terms increase after nearly a decade of reduced spending.

NHS England is responsible for providing HIV treatment and care, which continues to have very high coverage and effectiveness across England. Commissioning responsibility for adult specialist services for people living with HIV has been delegated by NHS England to the integrated care boards.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to fund improved provision for addiction support services in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug or alcohol problem can access the help and support they need, and we recognise the need for evidence-based, high-quality treatment.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing the local need for alcohol and drug prevention and treatment in their area, and for commissioning services to meet those needs. In addition to the Public Health Grant, in 2025/26, the Department is providing Lancashire with £10,424,106 to help improve drug and alcohol treatment and recovery systems, as set out at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drug-and-alcohol-treatment-and-recovery-funding-2025-to-2026

All funding is provided at the Lancashire level, and it is for Lancashire County Council to determine how to meet needs in Fylde.

This year, the Government is providing an additional £70 million for local authority-led Stop Smoking Services in England, building on existing funding made available via the Public Health Grant. Additional funding for Stop Smoking Services is based on the number of smokers in each local authority, and Lancashire has been allocated an extra £1,678,549 for 2025/26.

In April 2025, a new statutory levy on gambling operators, expected to raise approximately £100 million per year, was introduced to fund the research, prevention, and treatment of gambling-related harms. The levy will be distributed across the three workstreams, with 50% allocated to NHS England, alongside appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales, to commission the development of effective treatment and support services at national and sub-national levels.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of communications in issuing heat alerts.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) operates a Weather Health Alerting (WHA) system in partnership with the Met Office, as part of its Adverse Weather and Health Plan (AWHP) for the health and social care sector. The UKHSA publishes annual reports which contain an assessment of the AWHP’s performance, including communication. The UKHSA collaborates with academic partners to assess how communications are received, and how guidance is utilised. The WHA system has approximately 35,000 subscribers. The UKHSA undertakes communication activity with the Met Office to ensure that the health system and the public are aware of periods of hot weather, the health risks of heat, and what action they should take. The UKHSA issues proactive communications for the first Heat Health Alert of any summer, and whenever an amber or red alert is issued.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 60563 on Livestock: Death, what resources his Department has made available to the Animal and Plant Health Agency to monitor compliance with animal welfare standards during periods of extreme heat.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

APHA does not receive additional resources to monitor compliance with animal welfare legal requirements during periods of extreme heat. However, the Agency has provided guidance on how to care for animals on farm and in transport in case of extreme weather since 2013; the guidance has been regularly reviewed and updated and it is available on the following page Keeping farm animals and horses in extreme weather - GOV.UK. In addition, The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) issues guidance to transporters on transporting animals in extreme hot and cold weather. The guidance ensures that transporters consider the particular risks that extreme weather presents to animal welfare and that animals are transported in a way that avoids any pain, suffering or distress.

APHA continues to monitor reports of animals being transported in extreme weather conditions. Where incidents of unnecessary suffering caused by transporting animals in extreme weather are identified, APHA will take appropriate regulatory action which may include the suspension of transporter authorisations. The Local Authority will be notified and will consider any appropriate enforcement action.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the National Housing Bank will take to ensure that housing developments are equitably distributed across different regions.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 June 2025 (HCWS712).

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help ensure the continuation of core funding to (a) Fylde council and (b) other rural councils during the transition from the Rural Services Delivery Grant to the Recovery Grant.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government took the difficult decision to end the Rural Services Delivery Grant as it did not properly account for need and a large number of predominantly rural councils received nothing from it.

In 2025-26, places with a significant rural population are receiving almost a 6% increase in their Core Spending Power compared to the previous year, which is a real terms increase.

The government is absolutely committed to tackling the issues that matter to rural communities. We are currently consulting on reforming the local government funding system via gov.uk The Fair Funding Review 2.0 and invite views and supporting evidence on this issue and beyond.

Our updated assessment of need will more effectively capture variations in demand for services within a local authority. We are also proposing to continue to apply Area Cost Adjustments to account for the different costs faced in delivering services, including in rural and urban areas. This includes a new proposal to consider the remoteness of an area alongside its accessibility.

We will ensure our approach is informed by the latest data and evidence and are inviting views and supporting evidence from the sector and the public on this approach.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what funding is available to support age-adapted housing developments in (a) rural and (b) semi-rural constituencies with high numbers of retired residents.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government recognises the importance of helping older people to live independently at home for as long as possible and enhancing provision and choice for older people in the housing market, including retirement or sheltered housing.

The Affordable Homes Programme for 2021-26 includes delivery of supported housing, including for older people, across the country. At the Spending Review the Chancellor announced £39 billion for a successor to the Affordable Homes Programme over 10 years from 2026-27 to 2035-36;

Funding is available through the locally administered Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) to support eligible older and disabled people, including in rural and semi-rural constituencies, to adapt their homes. The government awarded an £86 million in-year uplift to the DFG for 2024-25, bringing the total funding for 2024-25 to £711 million. We are also providing £711 million for 2025-26.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Rural Housing Enabler programme provides grant funding to ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) to deliver and manage a network of independent advisors who work with communities to develop affordable housing schemes across rural England. The advisors help identify suitable development opportunities in communities, and support site owners and community representatives to navigate the planning system and create developments that meet the needs of local people.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether eligibility for the Rural Services Delivery Grant takes into account sparsely populated rural areas.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government took the difficult decision to end the Rural Services Delivery Grant as it did not properly account for need and a large number of predominantly rural councils received nothing from it.

In 2025-26, places with a significant rural population are receiving almost a 6% increase in their Core Spending Power compared to the previous year, which is a real terms increase.

The government is absolutely committed to tackling the issues that matter to rural communities. We are currently consulting on reforming the local government funding system via gov.uk The Fair Funding Review 2.0 and invite views and supporting evidence on this issue and beyond.

Our updated assessment of need will more effectively capture variations in demand for services within a local authority. We are also proposing to continue to apply Area Cost Adjustments to account for the different costs faced in delivering services, including in rural and urban areas. This includes a new proposal to consider the remoteness of an area alongside its accessibility.

We will ensure our approach is informed by the latest data and evidence and are inviting views and supporting evidence from the sector and the public on this approach.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to NHS-funded fertility treatment in Fylde constituency.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We expect integrated care boards to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to National Health Service-funded treatment are still appropriate.

In the light of broader pressures on the NHS and on-going changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of people on the bone marrow donors register.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The UK aligned stem cell registry, a national register managed collaboratively by Anthony Nolan, DKMS UK, NHS Blood and Transplant, and the Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry, has over 2.3 million potential stem cell donors registered. The British Bone Marrow Registry is now known as the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry, and forms part of the UK aligned stem cell registry.

The Department is taking action to increase the number of people on the UK aligned stem cell registry by funding the Stem Cell Programme, with £2.4 million for the period from 2022 to 2025. The programme is being delivered by NHS Blood and Transplant and Anthony Nolan. It aims to enhance the resilience of the United Kingdom’s stem cell supply by strategically recruiting donors to the UK aligned stem cell registry. It focuses on recruiting those most likely to donate and on addressing health disparities through targeted campaigns, with a focus on ethnic minority communities. By increasing the pool of potential donors, the programme seeks to improve the availability of matches in the UK, ultimately reducing waiting times for patients in need of stem cell treatment. Funding to both organisations has been extended by one year to 2025/26.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made funding available for the repair of public amenities damaged during Storm Arwen.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

We have not made specific funding available for public amenities damaged during Storm Arwen, but responsibilities for public amenities fall to many departments, each of which has different arrangements for repairs. DCMS, for instance, funds Arts Council England to deliver the Museum Estate and Development Fund, which is open to accredited museums across England and has distributed over £87m since 2021, with a further £25m due to be allocated in 25/26.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is providing additional funding for local authorities to help (a) maintain and (b) develop leisure facilities.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities which are vital spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities.

The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level with funding levels set by MHCLG as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities.

The majority of Government funding for grassroots sport clubs is through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year.

On 20 June 2025, the Culture Secretary announced that following the Spending Review, at least £400 million is going to be invested into new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities right across the UK, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We will now work closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what each community needs and then set out further plans.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of illegally working while awaiting an asylum claim have on the outcome of that claim.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

Illegal working is a criminal offence, and it is important for asylum seekers to adhere to the rules on the right to work in the UK. Evidence of illegal working will routinely be taken into account when assessing an asylum seeker's claim.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the restriction on people linked with (a) Palestine Action and (b) similar groups from going near civilian defence manufacturing sites.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government fully supports the police to use all the powers available to them to prevent crimes occurring as a result of unlawful direct-action tactics, and to ensure those who do commit them face the full force of the law.

It is important to note that the police are operationally independent from government. This means that the Home Office are unable to direct the police to take any particular operational decision, including those around the management of direct-action protest groups.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with Lancashire County Council on the financial sustainability of local services under the proposed devolution deal.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The funding and delivery of local services provided by local authorities including Lancashire County Council is separate from the Lancashire Combined County Authority. There have therefore been no discussions about the financial sustainability of local services in relation to devolution. We are continuing to work with Lancashire Combined County Authority to deepen their existing devolution agreement and, dependent on their ongoing governance review, we will explore a path towards mayoral devolution for the region.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support she is providing to (a) Lancashire Police and (b) other forces to tackle tool theft.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

We recognise the deeply damaging impact theft has on victims who rely on the tools of their trade to earn a living. We are determined to prevent those thefts from happening in the first place and, where they do occur, ensure those perpetrating them receive a criminal justice response. To do that, we need more police in our communities, tackling the local crimes that impact on people’s livelihoods. That is why this Government has increased funding for the policing system in England and Wales by up to £1.2 billion in 25/26 (compared with the 24/25 settlement), including an additional £200 million to kickstart delivery of our commitment to 13,000 neighbourhood policing roles. We will ensure that everyone has a named, contactable officer, responsive to local problems, including tool theft.

Alongside this, the Home Office funds, and works with, the police-led National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) and senior policing leads to prevent the theft of tools and tackle the re-sale of stolen equipment. The NBCC shares information about theft with police forces and businesses and provides advice about preventing crime. The NBCC’s tool theft prevention guide can be found here: tool-theft-crime-prevention.pdf

The Home Office and National Vehicle Crime Working Group have additionally secured a significant new commitment which will improve the security of vans, which may be targeted in relation to tool theft. Thatcham Research (an independent, not for profit, automotive risk intelligence organisation) has agreed expand their New Vehicle Security Assessment (NVSA) to increase van security. From February 2027, vans will have locks and alarms on the back doors (previously NVSA only covers the cab area of vans) and a motion sensor on the load area of the van. This is supported by crime prevention advice for tradespeople developed by the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives: Secured by Design - Vans & Tool Theft.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Department is responsible for ensuring that (a) Deliveroo and (b) gig economy platforms monitor users to ensure compliance with usage policies.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Regulatory oversight of gig economy platforms spans multiple departments and agencies depending on the specific aspect being regulated. For example, the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology is responsible for data protection policy and legislation as it relates to personal data, and the Department for Business and Trade has responsibility for the legislative framework on employment rights.

Platform usage policies are contractual matters between the companies and their users, with companies responsible for enforcing their own terms of service within the bounds of applicable laws.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on increasing the number of convictions for tool theft.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Lord Chancellor regularly engages with the Home Secretary on a range of criminal justice matters and recognises the serious impact that tool theft has on tradespeople and small businesses.

The Ministry of Justice and Home Office are working closely through the National Vehicle Crime Group, which brings together all police forces in England and Wales to coordinate efforts to reduce vehicle-related thefts, including the theft of tools from vans.

With regards to individual cases, convictions and sentences is a matter for the courts based on the evidence in the case before them.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the capacity of care settings to cope with extreme heat in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator with oversight of quality and safety in health and care settings. Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 compels providers to assess the risks to the health and safety of service users receiving the care or treatment and to do all that is reasonably practicable to mitigate any such risks. This includes having an appropriate assessment of environmental risks, such as extreme heat events.

The CQC would expect providers to follow national guidance on extreme heat safety and to follow any relevant heat alerts when these are issued.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) funding and (b) other support his Department gives to seasonal campaigns run by (i) the RSPCA, (ii) the Dogs Trust and (iii) other campaigning organisations to highlight the risks of leaving pets in hot vehicles.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government greatly appreciates the work undertaken by the nation’s animal welfare organisations to highlight the risks associated with leaving pets in hot vehicles. The Government regularly engages with animal welfare organisations to discuss their campaigns but does not provide funds.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking with local authorities to ensure (a) early and (b) consistent identification of dyslexia in primary schools in (i) Fylde constituency and (ii) Lancashire.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

We recognise that the early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia, and measures have been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading. This includes the English Hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools.

The English Hubs programme is dedicated to improving the teaching of reading, with a focus on supporting children making the slowest progress in reading. As part of the continuous professional development provided by the English Hubs, the Reading Ambition for All programme has been launched to improve outcomes for children who need additional support with reading, including those with SEND.​ Fylde's nearest English Hub is St John Vianney English Hub.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the number of households that will become eligible for the Warm Home Discount following her Department's planned changes to the eligibility criteria in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Warm Home Discount statistics for 2024-25 were published on 26^th June 2025. These statistics cover receipt of the WHD for winter 2024/25. Estimates of future eligibility are not available at county or constituency level. Across Great Britain, we will be extending the WHD to an estimated additional 2.7 million households and bringing the overall number of households supported to around 6 million.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to monitor the (a) physical and (b) mental health outcomes of women who act as surrogates.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Ensuring that women are healthy during their pregnancy is important for ensuring good outcomes for women and babies. This includes surrogates, also known as gestational carriers. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority’s Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee reviews the published evidence of health outcomes for those having fertility treatment, including surrogates. The last 10 years of evidence were recently reviewed, and further information on the findings of this review can be found at the following link:

https://www.hfea.gov.uk/about-us/our-authority-committees-and-panels/scientific-and-clinical-advances-advisory-committee-scaac/#hidden-text-79513bc0-43bb-4f5d-8aa7-fb3fe2c792e0-1

General practitioners are contractually required to offer a maternal consultation between six and eight weeks postnatally which all women, including surrogates, are entitled to. This consultation should be holistic and balance how physical and mental issues can impact each other. The consultation’s focus includes a review of the mother’s mental health and general wellbeing, and the return to physical health following childbirth and pregnancy.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 60563 on Livestock: Death, how many breaches of animal welfare regulations during periods of extreme weather have been recorded by the Animal and Plant Health Agency in each of the last five years.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) was made aware that the meat chicken sector experienced high mortality during the heat spell in July 2022. when an estimate of four million meat chickens died of heat stroke during two days of extreme heat. APHA inspectors visited 31 affected premises; in addition to the required regulatory actions, APHA has been liaising with the British Poultry council to raise awareness on the most common findings to allow appropriate contingency actions to be promptly implemented. Inspectors from APHA have been conducting follow-up inspections to monitor compliance on seven premises in 2023 (one disclosed as non-compliant) and ten premises in 2024 (with no non-compliances disclosed).

In addition to that, the Agency continue investigating allegations of potential animal welfare breaches however no specific figures are collected to identify the non-compliances specifically related to extreme weather conditions. Where incidents of unnecessary suffering caused on farm or by transporting animals in extreme weather are identified, APHA will take appropriate regulatory action which may include the suspension of transporter authorisations. The Local Authority is notified and supported by APHA in any investigation carried out including those where enforcement actions are deemed necessary.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of available bus routes for residents accessing hospital appointments in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The government recognises the importance of accessible, frequent and affordable bus services in keeping communities connected and ensuring access to vital services, including hospital appointments. Buses in England outside London were deregulated by the Transport Act 1985 and at present are largely run on a commercial basis where the operator decides on routes and provision.

The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them, including in Fylde, Lancashire and right across England.

In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country, of which Lancashire Council has been allocated £27 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to bus services in this Spending Review by confirming continued funding each year from 2026/27 to maintain and improve vital bus services, including taking forward bus franchising pilots in areas including York and North Yorkshire, and extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce wait times for orthodontic appointments for Fylde residents.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care board (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry and orthodontic services, to meet the needs of the local population. For Fylde residents, this is the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB. To support ICBs in their duties, NHS England has published a number of documents, including a clinical policy to support the commissioning of orthodontic activity, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/clinical-standards-for-dental-specialties-orthodontics/

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many VALOUR support centres for veterans he plans to locate in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The detailed structures and processes that will underpin VALOUR are in development and further announcements, including on development funding, will be announced in due course. The first VALOUR pilot was launched on 26 June 2025, in partnership with Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire, and will help to develop a blueprint as VALOUR is rolled out across the country next year.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will consider reviewing sentencing guidelines to increase the severity of the punishment for repeat offenders of graffiti.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The maximum sentences available for criminal offences are set by Parliament and the maximum penalty for the offence of criminal damage is ten years’ imprisonment.

The independent judiciary will determine the appropriate sentence in individual cases within the maximums set by Parliament, and in line with any relevant sentencing guidelines issued by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales.

In October 2019, the Council issued guidelines on criminal damage, which provides sentencers with guidance on factors that should be considered, which may affect the sentence given. They set out different levels of sentence based on the harm caused and how culpable the offender is. This is available at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/crown-court/item/criminal-damage-other-than-by-fire-value-exceeding-5000-racially-or-religiously-aggravated-criminal-damage/.

Whilst the Government has no current plans to ask the Council to consider reviewing the criminal damage guidelines, it is open to individuals to approach the Council to ask that they do so.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing booking systems at Household Waste Recovery Centres on fly tipping.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government has no plans to undertake an assessment of the impact of introducing booking systems at Household Waste Recovery Centres (HWRCs) on fly-tipping.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June to Question 60125 on Armed Forces: Buildings, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing formal (a) criteria and (b) guidelines for leasing its properties to third parties.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has formal criteria and guidelines for the leasing of properties to third parties.

Criteria and guidelines for Service Family Accommodation (SFA) leased to non-military personnel is set out in the MOD’s contract with Pinnacle Service Families. A separate process is in place for SFA that is utilised under the Afghan Resettlement Programme.

The remaining leases criteria and guidelines are set out in Joint Service Publication 850.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on disparities in diabetes outcomes in different regions of (a) England and (b) Wales.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England, through the National Diabetes Audit (NDA), collects and publishes comprehensive data on diabetes care and outcomes across England. The NDA is a national clinical audit that measures the effectiveness of diabetes healthcare against National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) clinical guidelines and quality standards. It is a key resource for identifying and addressing regional disparities in diabetes services.

The most recent NDA annual report, for 2023/24, was published 12 December 2024 and is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/clinical-audits-and-registries/national-diabetes-audit/dashboards

Data can be viewed at national, regional, integrated care board, primary care network and practice level. An example of data that can be viewed at regional level is the proportion of people receiving all eight NICE-recommended care processes. In 2023/24, 47.2% of people with type 1 diabetes in England received all eight processes. The same year, 62.4% of people with type 2 diabetes in England received all eight care processes. Regional performance varies for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. For instance, the highest achieving regional area saw completion of type 2 eight care processes at 72.2% and the lowest 58.5%. A further example is diabetes prevalence and variation between the least and most deprived quintiles. The audit reports a general practitioner-recorded prevalence of type 2 diabetes of approximately 3.5 million adults in England, with data showing that 23.6% of this cohort are in the most deprived quintile, compared to 15% in the least deprived quintile.

The NDA collects and publishes some data from Wales, which is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/national-diabetes-audit/complications-and-mortality-2009-2023

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department is providing to residents of Fylde constituency who are attempting to evacuate from Israel.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As the Foreign Secretary announced in the House of Commons our first flight departed Tel Aviv on 23 June. Further flights departed on 24 June, 25 June, 26 June, and 29 June.

The situation in the Middle East remains very grave and volatile. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) teams are working around the clock to support British nationals. Our staff have also reinforced this capacity by rapidly deploying specialist staff from London. Across the region FCDO embassy staff are focused on this crisis.

We have updated our travel advice to advise against all travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), and Royal Air Force flights are departing from Israel to transport vulnerable British nationals and their dependents safely back to the UK. We are working around the clock to secure more flights and bring more people home based upon demand and the prevailing security situation. British nationals should continue to register their presence in Israel and the OPTs to be contacted with further guidance on these flights.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of delivery drivers using e-bikes on other road users.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Only e-bikes that are fully compliant with the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 are legal to use on the roads.

I have previously written to the Chief Executives of food delivery companies, making clear that riders should be fully aware of the relevant legal requirements and that they should only be using safe and road legal e-bikes. This is in addition to guidance on safe use of e-bikes that has been published by the Government, most recently by the Department and Business Trade in their “Buy Safe, Be Safe” campaign.

Furthermore, the Government has tabled amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill to introduce new cycling offences. These new offices will tackle instances where victims have been killed or seriously injured by irresponsible cycle behaviour. These new offences will also ensure parity across the “motoring” offences framework. This is so that all road users, whether they are drivers or cyclists, whose behaviour results in the death or serious injury of another road user, will face the same penalties.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, if she will publish the guidance issued to the Crown Prosecution Service on the application of the public interest test in cases involving freedom of expression.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

All guidance issued to Crown Prosecutors to assist their decision making is available here: Prosecution guidance | The Crown Prosecution Service. The overarching Code for Crown Prosecutors issued by the Director for Public Prosecutions provides guidance on how to apply the Public Interest Test in all cases that are referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Cases involving freedom of expression issues can come in many forms, and so the relevant guidance will be followed by prosecutors depending on the facts and circumstances of the alleged conduct and the relevant statutory provisions.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to encourage the use of swift bricks in newbuild homes in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) in Lancashire.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that planning policies and decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by minimising impacts on and providing net gains for biodiversity, including by incorporating features which support priority or threatened species such as swifts, bats and hedgehogs.

As part of our work to develop a set of national policies for decision making, the government has committed to consulting on changes which would require swift bricks to be incorporated into new buildings unless there are compelling reasons which preclude their use, or which would make them ineffective.

As an interim step ahead of the consultation, my Department published updated Planning Practice Guidance setting out how swift bricks are expected to be used in new development. This outlines that developments should include swift bricks where possible, with the general aim across a development of a minimum of one nest box per unit.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to support the conservation of native red squirrel populations.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is committed to taking action to recover our threatened native species, including red squirrels, especially through the delivery of our biodiversity targets, which will benefit many of our native species including red squirrels.

We know that red squirrel decline is being driven by the squirrel pox virus, habitat availability and competition from non-native grey squirrels. To address these pressures, we are supporting research into grey squirrel fertility and have put management measures in place to control grey squirrels to aid red squirrel conservation.

We are considering how to go further to reduce the impacts of grey squirrels on our woodlands and red squirrel populations and shall have an update in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an estimate of the cost of hiring new staff due to changes in employer National Insurance contributions for GP practices in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We have made necessary decisions to fix the foundations of the public finances in the 2024 Autumn Budget. Resource spending for the Department will be £22.6 billion more in 2025/26 than in 2023/24, as part of the Spending Review settlement. The employers’ National Insurance rise was implemented in April 2025.

General practice providers are valued independent contractors. Each year, we consult with the sector both about what services they provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract. Operating costs, such as staffing, for these providers are considered as a part of this process.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 60563 on Livestock: Death, whether his Department plans to review the temperature threshold for transporting farm animals in the context of the frequency of extreme weather events.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

It is the responsibility of authorised transporters to ensure that any compromise to animal welfare is minimised during transport and that unnecessary suffering does not occur. Defra has published research detailing adaptations which farms could implement to adapt to the changing climate, including mitigating actions that can be taken when transporting animals. Defra has also commissioned and published research into the welfare outcomes of transporting poultry in temperature-controlled vehicles.

Defra guidance recommends that animals should not be transported in temperatures over 30°C and that transporters should consider a number of other factors, including checking the ‘feels like’ temperature for the intended journey if humidity is high.

Where incidents of unnecessary suffering caused by transporting animals in extreme weather are identified, APHA will take appropriate regulatory action, which may include the suspension of transporter authorisations, and will work with Local Authorities who are responsible for taking any enforcement action.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the level of veterinarian costs on the number of animals being put down.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra does not hold data on the number of animals being euthanised due to veterinary costs.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is conducting a full market investigation into the supply of veterinary services (including costs) for household pets in the UK. The market investigation is expected to conclude in May 2026. Defra cannot comment on an ongoing investigation but looks forward to seeing the recommendations made by the CMA.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding is available for (a) local authorities and (b) other organisations to (i) maintain and (ii) develop (A) heritage and (B) leisure buildings.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Organisations are able to apply for funding to maintain and develop heritage buildings through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Arms-Length Bodies.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund awards grants ranging from £3,000 to over £5 million for projects that conserve and enhance heritage, making it accessible to everyone. Last year it invested £330 million. Historic England, the government’s statutory advisor on the historic environment, offers grants for the repair and conservation of historic buildings, monuments, and landscapes that are of national importance.

In February of this year, the Secretary of State announced an additional £20 million in funding for the heritage sector, more than doubling the support for Heritage at Risk to £15 million.The Architectural Heritage Fund is delivering the £4.85m Heritage Revival Fund, which supports community organisations to take ownership of, adapt and reuse heritage assets. In addition, DCMS directly funds the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which provides grants towards VAT paid on repairs and maintenance to the nation's listed places of worship.

The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions. Additional funding for grassroots sport facilities is also provided through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, which is delivering £98 million in funding across the UK in 2025/26.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Law Commission report entitled Building families through surrogacy: a new law, published on 28 March 2023, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of implementing the recommendation on taking away a mother’s parental rights at birth* on levels of risk of adverse mental health effects for the mother should she change her mind after birth.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice has not carried out an assessment of the potential impact of implementing this recommendation.

The Government will publish a response in due course. Any consideration of this specific recommendation and its implications would form part of this wider work.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of climate change on farm animal welfare.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra has commissioned, and published, research detailing potential adaptation options which farms could implement in order to adapt to the changing climate, including extreme heat, drought, rainfall and flooding. The analysis included potential adaptation options which would contribute towards the maintenance of animal welfare on-farm, in response to climate events.

• Research to assess resilience measures that support UK agriculture in adapting to drought, extreme heat, and wildfires - SCF0140
• Research to assess resilience measures that support UK agriculture in adapting to changing seasonality and extreme rainfall - SCF0141

The Animal Welfare Committee, the expert committee of Defra, and the Scottish and Welsh Governments, has also recently begun work on a project to consider how best to safeguard the welfare of poultry from the effect of climate change.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of adding Lancashire to the pilot of the VALOUR veteran support centres.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

On 26 June 2025 I launched the VALOUR pilot in partnership with Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire.

There are a number of excellent support services available for veterans across this region, and across the UK. Through the enhanced coordination facilitated by VALOUR, the programme will promote a holistic approach to care by helping veterans access the full range of support services available to them.

The pilot will serve as an opportunity to develop a comprehensive blueprint for the VALOUR network. While it is recognised that regional variations will be necessary to ensure the network meets the specific needs of local communities, the lessons learned from the pilot will form the basis for VALOUR across the country.

We continue to move at pace, and VALOUR will be rolled out across the UK in 2026, so I am grateful for Lancashire's engagement and looking forward to working in the area soon.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June to Question 61581 on Undocumented Migrants: Lancashire, which stakeholders in Lancashire have been consulted in the last (a) month and (b) 12 months.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

Our engagement is undertaken through a number of regular local and regional forums that local authority partners, including officials within Lancashire, are invited to attend.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025 on levels of business confidence in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMT monitors several business confidence and activity measures, none of which are available at the constituency level. According to the Lloyds Business Barometer, in June UK business confidence rose to its highest level since November 2015.

HMT does not produce forecasts of the UK economy. Forecasting the economy, including the impact of Government policy decisions, is the responsibility of independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR does not publish estimates of the impact of policy decisions on business confidence.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce veterinary costs.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is supportive of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) conducting a full market investigation into the supply of veterinary services (including costs) for household pets in the UK. Defra cannot comment on an ongoing investigation, but we look forward to seeing the outcomes in May 2026 which will assist the work being undertaken to reform the veterinary sector.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2025 to Question 61866 on Armed Forces: Buildings, if he will make an estimate of the cost of answering that Question.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The estimated cost of providing a response to Question 61866 - To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2025 to Question 60125 on Armed Forces: Buildings, how many of those properties are in Fylde, would be approximately £7,800.

This is more than the Parliamentary Question disproportionate cost limit of £850.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many staff hours in his Department were allocated to (a) drafting, (b) reviewing and (c) promoting the LGBTQIA+ Legal Guidebook; and what estimate he has made of the total cost of this.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office works with a range of organisations globally to protect and promote the human rights of the most vulnerable communities. The Legal Guidebook in question was developed by external partners, with no HMG staff time allocated to drafting. A small amount of staff time in our Embassy in Manila was allocated to hosting the launch event, part of HMG's efforts to advocate for human rights-compliant laws and policies around the world.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's news story entitled LGBTQIA+ Legal Guidebook launched in Philippines for Pride Month, published on 23 June 2025, how many similar foreign LGBTQIA+‑related publications his Department has produced in the last five years; and what the cost to the public purse was.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office-funded projects and programmes, delivered through external partners, routinely produce a variety of internal and external research, evidence, reports, and toolkits to support UK work on human rights and equality for all, including on LGBT+ rights. Due to the volume of documents produced and the sensitivity of the issues being considered, we do not hold a comprehensive list of similar reports produced across the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office over the past five years.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of the (a) research, (b) design, (c) publication and (d) distribution of the LGBTQIA+ Legal Guidebook.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office works with a range of organisations globally to protect and promote the human rights of the most vulnerable communities. The guidebook in question was developed by external partners, with no cost to the public purse for research, design and distribution. A small amount of money (£700) was allocated to support publication of the guidebook.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of funding for SEND provision in mainstream schools.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities or who require alternative provision sits with local authorities.

The department provides local authorities with capital funding to support them to meet this duty and has published allocations for £740 million in High Needs Provision Capital Allocations for the 2025/26 financial year.

Of this £740 million, Lancashire County Council has been allocated £19.6 million.

This funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is available to local authorities to meet demand for SEND provision.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities or who require alternative provision sits with local authorities.

The department provides local authorities with capital funding to support them to meet this duty and has published allocations for £740 million in High Needs Provision Capital Allocations for the 2025/26 financial year.

Of this £740 million, Lancashire County Council has been allocated £19.6 million.

This funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of places at schools equipped to accommodate special educational needs.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities or who require alternative provision sits with local authorities.

The department provides local authorities with capital funding to support them to meet this duty and has published allocations for £740 million in High Needs Provision Capital Allocations for the 2025/26 financial year.

Of this £740 million, Lancashire County Council has been allocated £19.6 million.

This funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an estimate of the cost of hiring new teachers due to changes in employer National Insurance contributions for schools in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The increase in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) costs was taken into account when calculating the additional funding the department is providing to support schools with the 2025 pay awards in the financial year 2025/26. Schools in Lancashire will be receiving £16.6 million to support them with their NICs costs and the department will publish allocations for the pay grant in the autumn. From 2026/27, funding in respect of NICs costs will be incorporated into schools’ core budgets through the national funding formula.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June to Question 61301 on Alzheimer's Disease: Drugs, whether NICE has made an assessment of the potential impact of not publishing the economic models for (a) lecanemab and (b) donanemab due to commercial confidentiality on patient access.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) single technology appraisal process relies on information provided by companies to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new treatments. Some of this information, including the economic model, is considered commercially sensitive by the companies and is submitted to NICE in confidence. As a result, this material cannot be made publicly available. However, versions of the models with the commercially sensitive information redacted are available from NICE upon request, to registered stakeholders who have signed a confidentiality agreement, to inform their understanding of the evaluation.

NICE is committed to being as transparent as possible. While the economic models for lecanemab and donanemab cannot be published, the full committee papers, with confidential information redacted, are published. These contain a written description of the model design, inputs, and results. The appraisal committee’s consideration of the cost-effectiveness evidence is also documented in the published guidance. This ensures that stakeholders can understand the basis for NICE’s recommendations, even when certain technical details must remain confidential. The papers for lecanemab are available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta11220/documents

In addition, the papers for donanemab are also available, at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta11221/documents

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June to Question 61301 on Alzheimer's Disease: Drugs, if he will publish a (a) summary and (b) redacted version of the economic models used in the NICE appraisals of (i) lecanemab and (ii) donanemab.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) single technology appraisal process relies on information provided by companies to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new treatments. Some of this information, including the economic model, is considered commercially sensitive by the companies and is submitted to NICE in confidence. As a result, this material cannot be made publicly available. However, versions of the models with the commercially sensitive information redacted are available from NICE upon request, to registered stakeholders who have signed a confidentiality agreement, to inform their understanding of the evaluation.

NICE is committed to being as transparent as possible. While the economic models for lecanemab and donanemab cannot be published, the full committee papers, with confidential information redacted, are published. These contain a written description of the model design, inputs, and results. The appraisal committee’s consideration of the cost-effectiveness evidence is also documented in the published guidance. This ensures that stakeholders can understand the basis for NICE’s recommendations, even when certain technical details must remain confidential. The papers for lecanemab are available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta11220/documents

In addition, the papers for donanemab are also available, at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta11221/documents

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support people on universal credit into work in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

As announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers advice.

We are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone to access good, meaningful work, and support them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. The new service will be available for anyone who wants to look for work, to increase their earnings or to change their career or retrain. It will be responsive to local employers, inclusive for all customers and will work closely in partnership with local services to tackle the challenges associated with local labour markets.

In Fylde, our Jobcentre teams work closely with the Local Authority as well as local employers and partners to offer a range of employment opportunities for our customers. Tailored support is available for different customer groups to offer the right support needed. An example is referring our younger customers to Fylde Focus which gives 16-24 year olds a bespoke one to one service to improve their employability skills. Across Lancashire, including Fylde, our Work Coaches utilise their appointments to identify the right provision for our customers. Employer Advisers and Disability Employment Advisers engage with employers and partners to bring our Jobcentres Sector-based Work Academy Programmes, 50+ MOT’s, Job Fairs, employability building courses and more. An example is a recent employability event which took place in St Annes, which helped individuals look at taking the first or next step in their career and employment journey. The event offered tailored careers advice, CV/interview support and access to local training and job opportunities.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the child poverty taskforce on levels of child poverty in Fylde constituency.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Tackling child poverty is at the heart of the Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and improve the life chances of every child, including those in Fylde constituency. The Child Poverty Taskforce is progressing work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy in autumn that will deliver fully funded measures to tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty.

The Strategy will look at levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience; and better local support especially in the early years. This will build on the reform plans underway across government and work underway in Devolved Governments.

As a significant downpayment ahead of strategy publication, we have already taken substantive action across major drivers of child poverty through the Spending Review 2025. This includes an expansion of Free School Meals that will lift 100,000 children out of poverty by the end of the parliament, establishing a long-term Crisis and Resilience Fund supported by £1bn a year (including Barnett impact), investing in local family support services, and extending the £3 bus fare cap.

These commitments come on top of the existing action we have taken which includes expanding free breakfast clubs, capping the number of branded school uniform items children are expected to wear, increasing the national minimum wage for those on the lowest incomes and supporting 700,000 of the poorest families by introducing a Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help increase the capacity of passenger rail services on the Lytham to Preston rail line.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The department expects operators to match capacity and frequency of their services to demand, which can mean increased service frequency where that is the right response - although these must also be operationally sustainable and deliver value for taxpayers.

Northern is currently in discussions with train manufacturers over its plans to procure up to 450 new trains to replace the oldest trains in its current fleet. Approximately two thirds of the existing fleet is targeted to be replaced in the next 10 years. The new trains, the first of which are scheduled to enter service in 2030, will be cleaner and greener and will also deliver additional capacity on busy lines like Lytham-Preston.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure NHS trusts provide consistent (a) care and (b) guidance to intended (i) parents and (ii) surrogates.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government supports surrogacy as a part of assisted conception options, to help people who have difficulty starting their own family. To support intended parents and surrogates, the Department has published the guidance Care in surrogacy: guidance for the care of surrogates and intended parents in surrogate births in England and Wales, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/having-a-child-through-surrogacy/care-in-surrogacy-guidance-for-the-care-of-surrogates-and-intended-parents-in-surrogate-births-in-england-and-wales

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase the teaching of CPR in schools.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

All state-funded schools in England are required to teach first aid as part of statutory health education, which is taught as part of relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). It includes basic first aid and dealing with common injuries, such as head injuries. Pupils in secondary schools are taught further first aid, for example how to administer CPR and the purpose of defibrillators. Schools can teach topics beyond those covered in the statutory guidance and have flexibility to respond to local issues.

We are currently reviewing the statutory RSHE curriculum, which includes considering whether any additional content is needed, and will be publishing revised guidance shortly.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure defibrillators in public buildings are properly serviced.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government Property Agency maintains defibrillators across its estate inline with best practice (annual servicing) and is aligned to manufacturer’s guidelines. Defibrillators are also regularly visually inspected.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the (a) selling and (b) renting of user profiles to gig economy platforms is a criminal offence.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

If such actions are done to facilitate illegal working, yes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help tackle (a) stigma and (b) discrimination against people with Down syndrome.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to championing the rights of disabled people, including people with Down syndrome. We are taking action to break down barriers to opportunity for people with Down syndrome and to raise awareness and understanding of their needs through the implementation of the Down Syndrome Act 2022. The act requires my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to give statutory guidance to the relevant authorities regarding the appropriate actions they should be taking to support the needs of people with Down syndrome.

We are taking forward the development of the draft statutory guidance as a priority and expect to publish it for public consultation this autumn. The draft guidance will set out the existing protection from discrimination for disabled people under the Equality Act, which applies to people with Down syndrome.

Under the Health and Care Act 2022, from 1 July 2022, Care Quality Commission registered providers are required to ensure their staff receive specific training on learning disability and autism appropriate to their role. This will help to ensure that staff have the right knowledge and skills to provide safe and informed care. We have published a Code of Practice to guide providers on how to meet this requirement.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of current funding arrangements for people whose homes require adaptations for health reasons.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In England, we continue to fund the locally administered Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) which helps eligible older and disabled people on low incomes to adapt their homes. We have provided an additional £172 million across this and the last financial year to uplift the DFG, which could provide approximately 15,600 home adaptations to give older and disabled people more independence in their homes. This brings the total funding for the DFG to £711 million in 2024/25 and 2025/26.

The Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government share policy responsibility for the DFG. We also work with other Government departments more widely on relevant issues.

We continue to keep all aspects of the DFG under consideration. Recently, we carried out a review of the upper limit for the DFG and are currently considering the findings.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to improve early diagnosis and support for children born with Down syndrome in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Pregnant people will be offered a screening test for Down syndrome between 10 and 14 weeks of pregnancy. If the screening test shows that the chance of the baby having Down syndrome is higher than one in 150, this is called a higher-chance result. People who receive a higher-chance result can decide to:

• not have any further testing;
• have a second screening test called a non-invasive prenatal testing, which is a blood test that can give a more accurate screening result, and can help people to decide whether to have a diagnostic test or not; and
• have a diagnostic test, such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling straight away, which tells people for certain whether or not their baby has Down syndrome, but in rare cases can cause a miscarriage.

We are taking action to improve access to services for people with Down syndrome and to raise awareness and understanding of their needs through implementation of the Down Syndrome Act 2022. The act requires my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to give statutory guidance to the relevant authorities regarding the appropriate actions they should be taking to support the needs of people with Down syndrome.

We are taking forward the development of the statutory guidance as a priority and expect to publish it for public consultation this autumn. The guidance will help to clarify the help and services people with Down syndrome can expect to receive. The draft guidance will set out the process for diagnosing Down syndrome, and the support that health services should provide to a parent carrying a baby with Down syndrome.

The draft guidance will also raise awareness of the needs of children with Down syndrome in relation to health, social care, and education, and will set out practical steps that organisations should take to meet these needs.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will take steps to improve access to legal aid for residential park home residents involved in disputes with site owners.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The statutory framework governing the provision of legal aid is set out in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, and its supporting secondary legislation.

Legal aid is available for possession, homelessness and disrepair claims (when there is a serious risk of illness or injury) subject to a financial means and a merits test. Legal aid is additionally available for people facing the loss of their home on a non-means tested basis through the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service. Legal aid is also generally in scope for judicial reviews that have the potential to produce a benefit for the individual, a member of their family, or the environment. Proceedings related to consumer law are not in scope of legal aid.

Where an issue falls outside the scope of legal aid, individuals can apply for Exceptional Case Funding (ECF), which will be granted where they can show that failure to provide legal aid will risk breaching their human rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. ECF applications are considered by the Legal Aid Agency on an individual basis and are subject to the individual qualifying on means and merits testing.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support his Department is providing to people with Alzheimer's disease in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). We would expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines.

A review of the currently commissioned dementia post diagnostic support service for Lancashire and South Cumbria took place in 2023/24. The outcome of the review was a newly designed service specification, ensuring a consistent service model for all individuals who receive a diagnosis of dementia and who are currently living with dementia, and their carers, from point of diagnosis to end of life.

Under this new service, individuals will be systematically referred upon diagnosis into a post diagnostic support service and will then be contacted by a named dementia navigator who will be the contact for the individual throughout their journey with dementia.

Additionally, the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will address the challenges diagnosed by Lord Darzi and will set the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of complex health and care needs. It will set out how we support and enable health and social care services to work together better to provide that joined-up care.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will consider funding the Lobular Moonshot Project for invasive lobular breast cancer.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser recently met with the Lobular Moon-Shot Project to discuss opportunities, and will convene a follow up meeting with my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will meet with representatives from the Lobular Moonshot Project campaign.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser recently met with the Lobular Moon-Shot Project to discuss opportunities, and will convene a follow up meeting with my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of existing regulations relating to the introduction of a renewable liquid heating fuel obligation.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

For most off-grid properties, transitioning to clean heat will involve installing a heat pump as these are cost-effective, proven technologies. The Government expect sustainable biomass to be prioritised where there are limited alternatives for decarbonisation. Renewable liquid heating fuels are also much more expensive to use than other heating solutions.

Before taking decisions on whether to support the use of renewable liquid fuels in heating, the Government would require stronger evidence on their affordability for consumers, and the availability of sustainable feedstock.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is planning to take to ensure that the Creative Foundations Fund is allocated (a) efficiently and (b) equitably across regions.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Creative Foundations Fund will invest £85 million to support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. The fund was developed in partnership with ACE, drawing on its knowledge of the arts and culture sector. With urgent need for this funding, the Creative Foundations Fund will support organisations ready to commence capital works in taking this vital step. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their full application and funding committed by Arts Council England by 31 March 2026.

We understand the scale of need being felt across the country after fourteen years of underinvestment by the previous Government. Theis Government is encouraging organisations across the country to apply for a share of the fund, including theatres, performing arts venues, galleries, grassroots music venues and contemporary arts centres. Funding will be distributed to ensure maximum impact across England, supporting the Government’s Plan for Change which aims to support economic growth and increase opportunities for people across the country.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that Fylde constituency will be affected by the Creative Industries Sector Plan, announced on 23 June 2025.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

DCMS recognises that there are creative industries clusters and micro clusters in every part of the UK, all of which are crucial to the delivery of our Growth Mission.

The new 10-year plan will tackle barriers to growth and maximise opportunities across the Creative Industries sector, with the aim of making the UK the number one destination for creativity and innovation by 2035. It contains a range of new measures including supporting access to finance, innovation and skills which will benefit creative businesses across the UK, including in the Fylde constituency.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2024 to Question 12182 on Schools: Fylde, what recent estimate she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of VAT on independent school fees on the number of children who (a) have enrolled in state sector schools since 1 September 2024 and (b) are expected to enrol in state sector schools in the 2025-26 academic year.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

His Majesty’s Treasury published a Tax Information and Impact Note on applying VAT to independent school fees, which includes the government’s estimations of the number of pupils expected to enter the state sector as a result of this policy. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/applying-vat-to-private-school-fees#who-is-likely-to-be-affected.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support access to postal services for small businesses in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government recognises that small businesses are critical to our communities and essential to our economic success. We are committed to hardwiring the voice of small business into everything we do and collaborating with businesses and workers to kickstart and rebuild our economy.

The universal postal service ensures that SMEs across the UK have access to an affordable service.

Ofcom independently regulates the universal postal service. In its 2023-24 Post Monitoring Report, Ofcom found that three-quarters (74%) of SMEs were satisfied with the quality of service they receive from Royal Mail, while overall satisfaction with other providers stood at 81%.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of (a) asylum seekers and (b) irregular migrants without the right to work in the UK working in the gig economy.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold an estimate of the number of people working illegally in the gig economy. The recent joint work between the Office for National Statistics and the Home Office explains the complexities - Measuring illegal migration: our current view - Office for National Statistics.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many of the 3,000 (a) new and (b) expanded school-based nurseries will be in Fylde.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

At the Spending Review, the department announced almost £370 million of further funding to create tens of thousands of places in new and expanded school-based nurseries to ensure more children can access the high-quality early education they deserve and get the best start in life.

The department is currently planning the next phases of the programme, and we will be announcing the next steps shortly. We encourage eligible schools in Fylde to engage with their local authority and explore opportunities to participate in future rounds of funding.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the recording of non-crime hate incidents on the sentencing of individuals in future criminal proceedings.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

All factual matters material to a criminal sentence must be admitted by the offender or proven in a court to the criminal standard using admissible evidence. By definition, the recording of a previous incident as “non-crime” is unlikely to meet that standard.

The Code for Crown Prosecutors sets out the general principles a prosecutor must apply when making a decision as to whether there is sufficient evidence, and whether it is in the public interest, to authorise criminal charges against a suspect. The Crown Prosecution Service has published guidance on bail, the focus of which is on ensuring that the Court is provided with the relevant information to enable it to come to a proper decision as to whether or not to grant bail, with or without conditions. This will be fact specific to the circumstances of the alleged offence and the defendant. The administrative police recording of an earlier incident or allegation, which has previously been determined not to have been a crime, is unlikely to have any relevance to the question of bail.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, whether the Crown Prosecution Service uses information about recorded non-crime hate incidents in deciding whether to (a) bring charges and (b) recommend bail conditions.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

All factual matters material to a criminal sentence must be admitted by the offender or proven in a court to the criminal standard using admissible evidence. By definition, the recording of a previous incident as “non-crime” is unlikely to meet that standard.

The Code for Crown Prosecutors sets out the general principles a prosecutor must apply when making a decision as to whether there is sufficient evidence, and whether it is in the public interest, to authorise criminal charges against a suspect. The Crown Prosecution Service has published guidance on bail, the focus of which is on ensuring that the Court is provided with the relevant information to enable it to come to a proper decision as to whether or not to grant bail, with or without conditions. This will be fact specific to the circumstances of the alleged offence and the defendant. The administrative police recording of an earlier incident or allegation, which has previously been determined not to have been a crime, is unlikely to have any relevance to the question of bail.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of wastewater capacity in Fylde constituency for planned housing developments.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 57582 on 26 June 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 60645 on Shoplifting: Lancashire, whether the £2 million funding for the National Business Crime Centre will support the development of new training or resources for police officers and business owners.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through our Safer Streets Mission and wider reforms, we are determined to tackle crime and restore public confidence in policing. The Home Office has published a performance framework to monitor delivery of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, including reducing crime and improving public perceptions of crime and anti-social behaviour. The framework is published here: Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee performance framework - GOV.UK

Work being done by Opal, the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), directly supports the aims of the Safer Streets Mission.

We are providing over £7 million over the next three financial years to these organisations to help them tackle retail crime.

This includes an agreed delivery plan and Key Performance Indicators, and ongoing monitoring throughout the period of the grant. An evaluation will be undertaken to ensure the aims of the funding are delivered. This will include evaluation on how it has assisted in tackling retail crime, including serious and organised retail crime Opal is overseen by the NPCC lead for Serious Organised Acquisitive Crime, Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman,

The Crime and Policing Bill, which includes the offence of assaulting a retail worker, is progressing through Parliament and was introduced to the House of Lords on 19 June. We will continue to work with police and the retail sector through the Retail Crime Forum to ensure that, after Royal Assent, everyone is aware of the new legislation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 60645 on Shoplifting: Lancashire, what role the National Business Crime Centre will play in the implementation of the Safer Streets Mission.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through our Safer Streets Mission and wider reforms, we are determined to tackle crime and restore public confidence in policing. The Home Office has published a performance framework to monitor delivery of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, including reducing crime and improving public perceptions of crime and anti-social behaviour. The framework is published here: Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee performance framework - GOV.UK

Work being done by Opal, the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), directly supports the aims of the Safer Streets Mission.

We are providing over £7 million over the next three financial years to these organisations to help them tackle retail crime.

This includes an agreed delivery plan and Key Performance Indicators, and ongoing monitoring throughout the period of the grant. An evaluation will be undertaken to ensure the aims of the funding are delivered. This will include evaluation on how it has assisted in tackling retail crime, including serious and organised retail crime Opal is overseen by the NPCC lead for Serious Organised Acquisitive Crime, Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman,

The Crime and Policing Bill, which includes the offence of assaulting a retail worker, is progressing through Parliament and was introduced to the House of Lords on 19 June. We will continue to work with police and the retail sector through the Retail Crime Forum to ensure that, after Royal Assent, everyone is aware of the new legislation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) retail staff and (b) police officers are aware of the new offence of assaulting a retail worker.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through our Safer Streets Mission and wider reforms, we are determined to tackle crime and restore public confidence in policing. The Home Office has published a performance framework to monitor delivery of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, including reducing crime and improving public perceptions of crime and anti-social behaviour. The framework is published here: Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee performance framework - GOV.UK

Work being done by Opal, the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), directly supports the aims of the Safer Streets Mission.

We are providing over £7 million over the next three financial years to these organisations to help them tackle retail crime.

This includes an agreed delivery plan and Key Performance Indicators, and ongoing monitoring throughout the period of the grant. An evaluation will be undertaken to ensure the aims of the funding are delivered. This will include evaluation on how it has assisted in tackling retail crime, including serious and organised retail crime Opal is overseen by the NPCC lead for Serious Organised Acquisitive Crime, Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman,

The Crime and Policing Bill, which includes the offence of assaulting a retail worker, is progressing through Parliament and was introduced to the House of Lords on 19 June. We will continue to work with police and the retail sector through the Retail Crime Forum to ensure that, after Royal Assent, everyone is aware of the new legislation.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of regulations governing online platforms used by the gig economy..

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Businesses operating in the UK, including online platforms in the gig economy, must comply with UK laws and regulations on employment, data protection, taxation, business regulation and right to work. Responsibility for overseeing these regulations spans multiple departments and regulators, depending on the issue.

The Department for Business and Trade is responsible for employment rights legislation, where the Government has committed to moving towards a simpler framework for employment status. Our priority is ensuring those workers who are most vulnerable know their rights and have the benefit of protection at work. 

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent steps her Department has taken to improve consumer protections for (a) pricing transparency, (b) fair valuation practices and (c) the treatment of homeowners during resale transactions for residential park home buyers .

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Mobile Homes Act 1983 sets out the contractual obligations for park home residents and site owners and the processes for buying and selling park homes. The Act also bans the use of certain site rules including those which prevent a resident from marketing or selling their home. If a site owner breaches the legislation or fails to meet any of their obligations, a resident has a right to apply to the First Tier Tribunal for a determination.

Additional protections for consumers purchasing goods and services are set out in consumer rights legislation. We are also continuing to support park home residents with free independent advice about their rights and how to enforce them, through the government-funded Leasehold Advisory Service.

The government is committed to improving the standards of park home site management and supporting local authorities to ensure site managers are fit and proper persons. We will continue to keep the effectiveness of relevant regulations under review.

We recognise that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home. The previous government published a report in June 2022 on the impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission. It can be found on gov.uk here. We will set out plans in due course to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of current regulations on residential park home site operators to ensure the (a) equitable treatment and (b) protection of residents.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Mobile Homes Act 1983 sets out the contractual obligations for park home residents and site owners and the processes for buying and selling park homes. The Act also bans the use of certain site rules including those which prevent a resident from marketing or selling their home. If a site owner breaches the legislation or fails to meet any of their obligations, a resident has a right to apply to the First Tier Tribunal for a determination.

Additional protections for consumers purchasing goods and services are set out in consumer rights legislation. We are also continuing to support park home residents with free independent advice about their rights and how to enforce them, through the government-funded Leasehold Advisory Service.

The government is committed to improving the standards of park home site management and supporting local authorities to ensure site managers are fit and proper persons. We will continue to keep the effectiveness of relevant regulations under review.

We recognise that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home. The previous government published a report in June 2022 on the impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission. It can be found on gov.uk here. We will set out plans in due course to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of existing consumer protections of residential park home owners.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Mobile Homes Act 1983 sets out the contractual obligations for park home residents and site owners and the processes for buying and selling park homes. The Act also bans the use of certain site rules including those which prevent a resident from marketing or selling their home. If a site owner breaches the legislation or fails to meet any of their obligations, a resident has a right to apply to the First Tier Tribunal for a determination.

Additional protections for consumers purchasing goods and services are set out in consumer rights legislation. We are also continuing to support park home residents with free independent advice about their rights and how to enforce them, through the government-funded Leasehold Advisory Service.

The government is committed to improving the standards of park home site management and supporting local authorities to ensure site managers are fit and proper persons. We will continue to keep the effectiveness of relevant regulations under review.

We recognise that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home. The previous government published a report in June 2022 on the impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission. It can be found on gov.uk here. We will set out plans in due course to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, how many prosecutions for hate crimes have the CPS commenced in each of the last 12 months; and how many and what proportion of these prosecutions resulted in conviction.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

In the year to December 2024 the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised the charging of a total of 11,777 suspects in hate crime flagged cases with 87.4% of legal decisions resulting in a suspect being charged.

The below table provides a breakdown of the monthly charge volumes and rate for 2024.

Over the same period the CPS has prosecuted 14,657 defendants of which 12,614 were convicted, giving a conviction rate of 86.1% for the 2024 calendar year.

The below table provides a breakdown of the monthly completed prosecutions and convictions for 2024.

The volume of prosecution outcomes for a period differs from the volume of pre charge decisions for the same period. Where the pre charge decision is to bring charges many cases will only reach a conclusion in a later period. This will vary according to the outcome type: for example, the legal process is longer where a case is contested or sent to the Crown Court and tried by jury.

Further information can be found in quarterly data published on the CPS website: CPS quarterly data summaries | The Crown Prosecution Service.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 60645 on Shoplifting: Lancashire, how the £5 million allocated to fund Opal will be distributed annually; and what specific metrics will be used to assess its impact on serious organised acquisitive crime.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through our Safer Streets Mission and wider reforms, we are determined to tackle crime and restore public confidence in policing. The Home Office has published a performance framework to monitor delivery of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, including reducing crime and improving public perceptions of crime and anti-social behaviour. The framework is published here: Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee performance framework - GOV.UK

Work being done by Opal, the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), directly supports the aims of the Safer Streets Mission.

We are providing over £7 million over the next three financial years to these organisations to help them tackle retail crime.

This includes an agreed delivery plan and Key Performance Indicators, and ongoing monitoring throughout the period of the grant. An evaluation will be undertaken to ensure the aims of the funding are delivered. This will include evaluation on how it has assisted in tackling retail crime, including serious and organised retail crime Opal is overseen by the NPCC lead for Serious Organised Acquisitive Crime, Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman,

The Crime and Policing Bill, which includes the offence of assaulting a retail worker, is progressing through Parliament and was introduced to the House of Lords on 19 June. We will continue to work with police and the retail sector through the Retail Crime Forum to ensure that, after Royal Assent, everyone is aware of the new legislation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 60645 on Shoplifting: Lancashire, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Safer Streets Mission in (a) reducing crime and (b) improving public perceptions of safety.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through our Safer Streets Mission and wider reforms, we are determined to tackle crime and restore public confidence in policing. The Home Office has published a performance framework to monitor delivery of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, including reducing crime and improving public perceptions of crime and anti-social behaviour. The framework is published here: Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee performance framework - GOV.UK

Work being done by Opal, the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), directly supports the aims of the Safer Streets Mission.

We are providing over £7 million over the next three financial years to these organisations to help them tackle retail crime.

This includes an agreed delivery plan and Key Performance Indicators, and ongoing monitoring throughout the period of the grant. An evaluation will be undertaken to ensure the aims of the funding are delivered. This will include evaluation on how it has assisted in tackling retail crime, including serious and organised retail crime Opal is overseen by the NPCC lead for Serious Organised Acquisitive Crime, Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman,

The Crime and Policing Bill, which includes the offence of assaulting a retail worker, is progressing through Parliament and was introduced to the House of Lords on 19 June. We will continue to work with police and the retail sector through the Retail Crime Forum to ensure that, after Royal Assent, everyone is aware of the new legislation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 60645 on Shoplifting: Lancashire, what steps she is taking to (a) monitor and (b) evaluate the effectiveness of Opal in tackling serious organised acquisitive crime.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through our Safer Streets Mission and wider reforms, we are determined to tackle crime and restore public confidence in policing. The Home Office has published a performance framework to monitor delivery of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, including reducing crime and improving public perceptions of crime and anti-social behaviour. The framework is published here: Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee performance framework - GOV.UK

Work being done by Opal, the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), directly supports the aims of the Safer Streets Mission.

We are providing over £7 million over the next three financial years to these organisations to help them tackle retail crime.

This includes an agreed delivery plan and Key Performance Indicators, and ongoing monitoring throughout the period of the grant. An evaluation will be undertaken to ensure the aims of the funding are delivered. This will include evaluation on how it has assisted in tackling retail crime, including serious and organised retail crime Opal is overseen by the NPCC lead for Serious Organised Acquisitive Crime, Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman,

The Crime and Policing Bill, which includes the offence of assaulting a retail worker, is progressing through Parliament and was introduced to the House of Lords on 19 June. We will continue to work with police and the retail sector through the Retail Crime Forum to ensure that, after Royal Assent, everyone is aware of the new legislation.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will commission a review of the (a) fairness, (b) transparency and (c) compliance with consumer protection standards of the (i) resale, (ii) marketing and (iii) contractual arrangement practices of residential park home site operators.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Mobile Homes Act 1983 sets out the contractual obligations for park home residents and site owners and the processes for buying and selling park homes. The Act also bans the use of certain site rules including those which prevent a resident from marketing or selling their home. If a site owner breaches the legislation or fails to meet any of their obligations, a resident has a right to apply to the First Tier Tribunal for a determination.

Additional protections for consumers purchasing goods and services are set out in consumer rights legislation. We are also continuing to support park home residents with free independent advice about their rights and how to enforce them, through the government-funded Leasehold Advisory Service.

The government is committed to improving the standards of park home site management and supporting local authorities to ensure site managers are fit and proper persons. We will continue to keep the effectiveness of relevant regulations under review.

We recognise that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home. The previous government published a report in June 2022 on the impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission. It can be found on gov.uk here. We will set out plans in due course to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing Lancashire Police an uplift in support to increase capability of defending civilian defence manufacturers.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

Defence Industry sites are protected under the National Security Act 2023 which provides police additional powers in responding to incidents at these sites.

We also maintain proactive communications with our Defence industry partners, ensuring that they are provided with up-to-date advice and guidance on the protection of their facilities and increasing vigilance of their staff to mitigate potential threats.

Mauritius Treaty

Found: cross-party basis, including Ruth Cadbury, Greg Smith, Alec Shelbrooke, Leigh Ingham, Richard Holden, Andrew Snowden

Found: Williamson John Lamont Jack Rankin Bob Blackman Nick Timothy Rupert Lowe Lewis Cocking Mr Andrew Snowden

Found: Caroline Dinenage Sarah Champion Jim Shannon John Cooper Sir Ashley Fox Ms Marie Rimmer Mr Andrew Snowden